2008 Pollution Prevention Grant Program Summaries

The Pollution Prevention Grant Program provides matching funds to state and tribal programs to support P2 activities across all environmental media (air, water and land) to develop state-based programs. EPA believes these environmental programs have the best opportunity to promote P2 because states and tribes have closer, more direct contact with industry and are more aware of local needs. In FY 2008 EPA awarded approximately $4.1 million. These summaries list the states and tribes that were awarded P2 grants in FY 2008.

Region 1

Connecticut DEP will provide pollution prevention technical assistance to hospitals, auto-body and repair shops; work with municipalities to reduce the use of pesticides, energy and water to maintain recreational fields; and initiate a Green Hotel self-certification program.

Maine DEP will provide on site technical assistance to lodging businesses, restaurants, and auto-body shops through their Environmental Leader certification program. Assistance will also be given to a "greening" state government initiative through environmentally preferable procurement and energy efficiency projects. Connecticut DEP will also support the Governor's Carbon Challenge Program.

New Hampshire DES will offer environmental assistance to ski areas by providing workshops, on-site assistance and green team support. NH DES will also maintain a P2 internship program and assist the state with environmentally preferable purchasing.

RHODE ISLAND

Recipient: University of Rhode Island (URI)
EPA grant: $65,000

To promote source reduction, the University of Rhode Island's Center for Pollution Prevention will provide technical assistance to a variety of small businesses (e.g., metal finishing, metal-working, textiles, fish/food processing). URI will also assist the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management to improve the environmental performance of auto-body and auto salvage businesses.

Vermont DEC will provide P2 outreach and assistance initiatives to marinas and golf courses. Administrative and technical support will also be given to the Vermont Business Environmental Partnership, the Vermont Governor's Awards Program for Environmental Excellence, and the Vermont Green Hotels Program.

Region 2

NEW JERSEY

Recipient: Rutgers University
EPA grant: $181,240

Rutgers University's New Jersey Small Business Development Centers will install wet cleaning machines at pilot dry cleaners in order to demonstrate their efficacy and encourage their adoption within the dry cleaning industry in New Jersey. This project is intended to promote the use of professional wet cleaning as a substitute technology for PCE and other solvent dry cleaning by providing the marketplace with on-site demonstrations, workshops, and information that is essential for commercial development.

NEW YORK

Recipient: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC)
EPA grant: $50,000

New York State DEC will launch an outreach program to educate the public, pharmacies, hospitals and nursing homes on the importance of not flushing unwanted pharmaceuticals (both prescribed and over-the-counter) and how to properly dispose of them. This will reduce the impact of pharmaceuticals on New York's drinking water and aquatic biota.

NYSEFC will design and implement a Clean Marina Program for New York State. This program will educate marina operators and boat owners on ways to reduce pollution through implementation of Best Management Practices (BMPs). NYSEFC will provide education on compliance and pollution prevention strategies in conjunction with implementation of BMPs, establish a voluntary program where marina owners can receive technical guidance and regulatory assistance, and recognize marinas which implement these pollution prevention strategies.

Pennsylvania DEP will provide pollution prevention information and multi-media assistance to businesses, industry, the agriculture community, homeowners, and other governmental agencies. The program addresses the reduction and elimination of pollution across the air, land and water. This project will identify opportunities to prevent pollution, minimize wastes and improve energy efficiency through technical assistance services, partner activities and outreach.

VIRGINIA

Recipient: Manufacturing Technology Center (MTC)
EPA grant: $28,000

MTC will provide on-site technical assistance to small and medium size businesses, along with the healthcare industry in Virginia.

Region 4

Florida DEP will use grant monies to initiate the Florida Green Lodging program, support for "Greening Florida's Future" for Florida P2 Week, and train businesses and engineers on lean manufacturing and environmental management systems (EMS). Florida DEP will also begin the Green Schools Pilot Project to eventually develop and implement a core sustainability and P2 solution set for all Florida public schools. DEP will enter into partnership with Leon County Schools.

Georgia P2AD will continue implementation of the "Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia" program, engage private businesses in the promotion of Environmental Management Systems, provide peer-to-peer forums for organizations to interact and learn best practices, recognize industry leaders in sustainability, and train emerging leaders in P2 and technical assistance.

The Kentucky Department of Compliance Assistance will work with companies in the Kentucky leadership program to complete P2 and energy efficiency (E2) assessments, increase members in their leadership program, and establish environmental management in businesses and provide technical assistance/information to businesses.

MDEQ will continue the pollution prevention, technical assistance, and technology transfer program focusing on multi-media pollution prevention and source reduction activities in three main areas: expanding the environmental stewardship program, mercury reduction at Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW), and the P2 partnership to provide hospitals and schools and other sectors environmental management tools along with the on-going initiatives from the previous year.

North Carolina DENR will continue to support the Environmental Stewardship Initiative (ESI) and focus on the following activities: pollution prevention and source reduction through Environmental Management System (EMS); EMS training for interested businesses, and workshops and site visits for businesses requiring in-depth P2 and compliance assistance.

South Carolina DHEC will initiate a P2 for wastewater and environmental assistance conference, a South Carolina Environmental Excellence program and partnerships with South Carolina Department of Commerce. This project supports wastewater self-assessments, technical assistance site visits, best practices for stormwater management; promotes partnerships, and modifies and increases distribution of the "Handy Guide for Environmental Assistance."

TDEC will continue administration and implementation of the TN Pollution Prevention Partnership (TP3) program. This includes coordination of the P2 Roundtable; TP3 Green Schools; greening government activities; and participation in the school chemical clean-out programs. TDEC will also conduct a series of workshops in 2009 that focus on energy, renewable energy and water conservation.

Region 5

WMRC is proposing a project with overall objectives to achieve water and/or energy conservation in municipal, commercial, and/or residential settings. WMRC will work with communities, their constituents, and Illinois EPA personnel to identify opportunities to reduce energy use, water use and wastewater generation. Additionally, the project will promote the implementation of strategies to achieve the desired improvements. WMRC's ADOP2T (Accelerated Diffusion of Pollution Prevention Technology) approach will be used to facilitate the implementation of innovative technologies in addition to more "tried and true" approaches to pollution prevention and energy efficiency (P2/E2) that can achieve reduction in water usage and energy.

CMTI will provide technical assistance and training for Indiana manufacturers and municipalities to reduce impacts of their operations through adoption of energy and natural resource conservation measures and implementation of P2 manufacturing process changes. CMTI will work with small and mid-size manufacturers especially in the wood furniture, plastics, metal coating and chemicals sectors. While offering assistance state-wide they will also focus in 14 counties which may return to ozone non-attainment status.

MDEQ will develop and implement a green chemistry support program to build capacity for education, financial support and networking to institutionalize green chemistry and green engineering practices. With the assistance of the Lowell Center for Sustainable Production and the green chemistry stakeholders, the action plan includes the following:

MPCA will link P2 to industrial site stormwater best management practices. Project will also include training of MPCA staff on MnTAP's P2 assistance program to generate referrals for direct P2 assistance to facilities.

SHWEC will continue the Wisconsin P2 Intern Program to provide P2 assistance to healthcare facilities. SHWEC will also deliver P2 outreach and technical assistance to reduce emissions from businesses and communities particularly in counties threatened with ozone non-attainment status.

Region 6

The objective of ADEQ's Pollution Prevention Program is to provide technical assistance for businesses and industries to help them identify better environmental strategies and solutions for reducing or eliminating waste at the source.

NMED's P2 Program will work to ensure the sustainability of the Green Zia Environmental Excellence Program and the state environmental leadership program. NMED will continue to partner with NMSU/WERC in providing P2 Technical Assistance. NMED P2 and NMSU/WERC have successfully utilized EPA P2 funding to conduct on-site technical assistance, training and community-based P2 surveys in all parts of the state including traditionally underserved areas, Border Region, pueblos and tribes. NMED P2 will also partner with the NMED Groundwater Bureau to integrate P2 in the their media program offices activities.

Recipient: New Mexico State University (NMSU)/WERC
EPA grant: $65,000

NMSU/WERC will provide technical assistance for small and medium size businesses, initiate P2 projects with Pueblo of Taos, offer P2 training to dental and healthcare facilities and introduce environmental management systems to municipalities. Portions of the technical assistance will be in partnership with NMED. The Environmental Management System (EMS) work will be done in partnership with the University of Texas at Arlington.

TEXAS

Recipient: University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)
EPA grant: $246,500

UTA's Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center and the Southwest Network for Zero Waste plan to work with industrial facilities and their partners to help them achieve ISO 14001 registration and educate industry, municipalities and others in Region 6 on Environmental Management Systems, LEAN and other P2 based activities. The work will be done in multiple states within the Region. They plan both some on-site technical assistance for single entities and workshops for multiple entities.

Region 7

IDNR will purchase and use thermographic cameras to conduct plan assessments in regard to energy use. Other projects include assisting organizations in source reduction of hazardous waste/substances and priority/emerging chemicals, participating in joint activities of the Business Assistance Providers (BAP) to improve customer service and participating in department discussion of performance track incentives.

KDHE will provide multimedia P2 and energy conservation technical assistance to businesses, manage an intern program to assist companies with implementing P2 and energy conservation projects, conduct air quality lunch and learns to foster ozone reduction and educate the public on P2 by hosting an environmental conference with P2 awards and publishing a newsletter.

MOEAC will expand outreach efforts through various media, provide training to businesses impacted by the new air quality regulations and conduct on-site lean and green environmental assessments for the Green Suppliers Network.

NDEQ will partner with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to assist Nebraska businesses by the use of engineering student interns to provide intensive on-site source reduction assistance and to motivate businesses to participate in EPA voluntary programs. The project will provide intense source reduction education to students and gather output and outcome data.

Region 8

CDPHE will continue to develop and enhance its Greening Government practices to minimize its impacts on the environment, work with 19 state agencies to assist in implementing projects to enhance efficiencies, integrate leadership principles into regulations and regulatory programs, such as stormwater, drinking water, EMS permits and RCRA, recognize and reward environmental leadership, and will provide Lean and Clean assessments requested by small and medium-sized businesses. Metrics achieved from performance and projects will be reported.

The MT DEQ Buy Green/Buy Smart Program will provide technical assistance to employees of government and non-government organizations to increase green purchasing statewide and realize increased energy conservation, reduced hazardous waste, and waste minimization benefits. Tracking and reporting tools will be used to measure effectiveness of programs and environmental benefits will be reported.

MSU Extension Service will provide outreach, technical assistance and recognition to small businesses, schools, and communities throughout the state of Montana to promote, adopt, implement, or integrate resource-efficient and sustainable products or practices. The environmental benefits achieved will be calculated and reported.

The MSU Peaks to Prairies Pollution Prevention Information Center will empower businesses, government, and individuals to reduce or eliminate pollution at its source, decrease risk to the public, and increase the adoption of sustainable uses of natural resources. Peaks to Prairies will actively distribute information and tools to aid the practice of pollution prevention to the user community - technical assistance providers, businesses and various state and tribal government agencies. Pollution prevention measurements will be documented and reported.

The North Dakota DOH will focus upon reducing the environmental impact of their Environmental Health Section buildings, facilities and operations. The North Dakota DOH will also focus on preventing persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic pollutants (PBTs) from becoming an environmental concern by educating businesses, communities and the public on proper management and disposal options for spent fluorescent lighting and other mercury containing devices. The environmental impacts and energy savings from implementing green building strategies will be reported.

Wyoming DEQ will perform small business on-site pollution prevention audits to help businesses meet or reduce outputs to below regulatory compliance thresholds, provide training and outreach on multi-media pollution prevention and sustainability to citizens, agencies, and businesses, promote and test pollution prevention alternatives within the state motor pool fleet, and provide outcome and output metrics.

Region 9

The University will create a P2 program for small businesses in low-income areas of Tucson, AZ. The project will expand on business visits already being conducted by trained promoters in the EPA - funded Community Assist of Southern Arizona (CASA) program. Training, workshops, and technical assistance will be provided at the University.

CALIFORNIA

Recipient: Santa Ynez Chumash
EPA grant: $33,654

The Santa Ynez Chumash will develop a Tribal Pollution Prevention Program to identify and implement pollution prevention and source reduction strategies within the Tribe's commercial activities, health clinic, and administrative offices to decrease the amount of hazardous substances, pollutants, and contaminants entering waste streams and the environment.

This project will provide technical assistance to production home builders in northern Nevada to help them build more energy and water efficient homes. Training will also include how to build homes with better indoor air quality and homes that require fewer resources to construct and generate less construction and demolition debris that goes to landfills.

WSPPN will hold the annual WRPPN regional conference in EPA Region 9 for environmental professionals to meet, learn, discuss and exchange newly-developed best management practices/P2 information and address the environmental problems affecting both businesses and communities in the region. They will provide outreach and assistance to P2 technical assistance providers.

Idaho DEQ will provide technical assistance to businesses and state and local governments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and will assist auto body shops and vocational schools to reduce emissions and hazardous waste generation.

Oregon DEQ will expand the ecological business program that provides P2 technical assistance to businesses as an alternative to permitting in implementing Area Source National Emission Standards for Hazardous Pollutants.

WASHINGTON

Recipient: Washington Department of Ecology (WDE)
EPA grant: $187,184

WDE will work to integrate greenhouse gas reduction assistance into a core pollution prevention technical assistance program and to create new partnerships with energy service providers to deal with energy issues. Provide P2 technical assistance to businesses and state agencies to evaluate and prevent and reduce emissions.